PINTS WEST in Lockdown 3 - Getting the beers ready for home delivery - CAMRA Bristol
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
No. 128
Spring
2021
PINTS WEST in Lockdown 3
Multi-award-winning magazine of the Bristol & District
and Bath & Borders branches of CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale
Getting the beers ready for home delivery
Click here: https://brew2you.co.uk Click here: www.camra.org.uk/pullingtogether
PINTS WEST
Published by: the Bristol & District Branch of CAMRA, the Campaign for Real
Ale, March 2021 ©
Editor: Steve Plumridge – steve.plumridge.pintswest@gmail.com
Design & Layout by: Steve Plumridge
Letters: Please email correspondence to the editor at the address above or post
it to: Pints West Editor, Steve Plumridge, Garden Flat, 6 Royal York Villas, Clifton,
Bristol, BS8 4JR.
Disclaimer: Views expressed in Pints West are those of the individual authors
and not necessarily supported by CAMRA.
ADVERTISE
To find out about advertising in Pints West,
please email the editor at the address above.
Bristol & District CAMRA
Web: www.camrabristol.org.uk
Twitter: @CAMRABristol
Facebook: Camra-Bristol-District
Facebook group: CAMRA Bristol Chat
Branch contact (Secretary): m.bertagne@camrabristol.org.uk
Pints West contact: steve.plumridge.pintswest@gmail.com
Weston-super-Mare CAMRA
Facebook: Campaign for Real Ale Weston-Super-Mare
Contact: tim.nickolls@outlook.com Catch up today by visiting:
https://shows.acast.com/pubspintspeople/
Bath & Borders CAMRA
Web: www.bathandborderscamra.org.uk To find out more, visit: https://camra.org.uk/podcast
Twitter: @BathCAMRA
Facebook: Bath-Borders-CAMRA
Contact: denis.rahilly@talktalk.net
or: James Honey on 01373 822794
2 PINTS WEST
PI T
Note: Clickable links
If you are indeed reading this edition of
NTS WES
Pints West online, and not as a physical copy
someone has printed out, then most website
addresses you see should be clickable – taking
you directly to the website if you click on
them, or tap them on a touch screen (that’s the
idea, anyway). The same applies with email
in Lockdown 3
addresses.
Try it with this link to the national CAMRA
website: www.camra.org.uk
W
elcome to another edition of Pints West published Please support these enterprising pubs – and our local
during a period of national lockdown. Once again this breweries and independent bottle shops – whenever you
is available online only, with no copies being printed can. They need and deserve our support more than the big
as we are unable to distribute them. supermarkets do.
During this third lockdown, most (though not all) of our local
breweries are still operating, albeit at reduced capacity, and are
offering delivery services (and in some cases collection). If you want to take a look back, the previous lockdown
editions of Pints West came out in June (first lockdown: www.
But unlike in previous lockdowns, as you’ll no doubt be aware, camrabristol.org.uk/PW126.pdf) and November (second
this time pubs are not allowed to open for takeaway alcohol. lockdown: www.camrabristol.org.uk/PW127.pdf).
Only a relatively small number are in a position to deliver.
They remain available, along with all previous editions, at:
Some of those will have fresh cask or keg beers, others bottles www.camrabristol.org.uk/pintswest.html.
and cans. Others may even be doing meals.
Chairman's Address
Let’s get back to the pub
A fter an exceptionally challenging year for pubs and
breweries, it finally feels as though the situation may
really be improving. Although we are certainly not out
of the woods yet, the vaccine rollout is progressing at pace,
COVID-19 statistics seem to be going in the right direction and the
You can always find information about local pubs and breweries by
using WhatPub (see pages 5-7).
• If you want to see a list of all pub and brewery outlets currently
operating in the main part of the Bristol & District branch area
government has published a roadmap to the ultimate goal of fully then click HERE
lifting lockdown.
• To see a list of pub and brewery outlets currently operating in
Dates are subject to change, but as of today there is the prospect the Weston-super-Mare sub-branch area click HERE
of pubs with gardens being able to serve customers sitting
outdoors from 12 April (with restrictions on group sizes). From this • To see a list of pub and brewery outlets currently operating in
date all pubs should also be able to sell takeaway alcohol including the Bath & Borders branch area click HERE
beer and cider. From 17 May pubs will be allowed to seat customers
indoors (again with restrictions on numbers). Assuming all goes Please submit any corrections or updates via the WhatPub website
well, from 21 June all restrictions are to be lifted and something or by emailing whatpub@camrabristol.org.uk.
approaching normality should resume.
Many CAMRA members have already signed online petitions and
The pandemic may seem well beyond our personal control, but it contacted their MP to try and get fair treatment and support for
is important that we all do our part to ensure that the lockdown pubs and the hospitality sector in general during this pandemic.
can be lifted and stay lifted. It would truly be a tragedy for a surge Although the March 2021 budget did include some positive news
in cases to result in this being delayed, or even worse for a fourth (such as freezing alcohol duty and extending other measures)
lockdown to be imposed, doubtless breaking the heart of so many the government needs to do more and we need to keep up the
pubs and breweries that are desperate to get back to normal pressure on them. So the next time you see you see a request
trading. Perhaps the most important thing we can all do to help to contact your MP or sign a petition to try and help pubs and
pubs and breweries is to make sure that we follow the official breweries weather this storm, please take a minute to do so.
guidelines and get vaccinated when it is our turn.
Hopefully everyone can agree on the following points as we all do
Both the Bristol & District branch and the Bath & Borders branch our bit to help lift lockdown and save pubs and breweries:
would love to announce lots of dates for CAMRA gatherings and
pub crawls right now to help get people back into the saddle. • Follow the latest COVID-19 guidance and don’t break the
However, we will not be testing the limits or interpretation of rules!
government guidance and no such organised branch events will
take place until it is clear that they are permitted. That aside, as • Get vaccinated when it’s your turn.
individuals (and whatever size group is permissible) everyone is
absolutely encouraged to please do what you can to support pubs • Support pubs however you can once they open.
and breweries once the restrictions start to relax. Dress up warm
for a beer garden visit in April or consider treating yourself to a • Use WhatPub to find pub information and correct anything
takeaway pint or two from your local. Please be forgiving of any that is out of date.
teething problems as pubs reopen, breweries scale up production Richard Brooks
and we all find our feet again. Bristol & District CAMRA branch chairman
PINTS WEST 3
Snuffy’s Thirsty Thursday
beer delivery
O
ne of the pubs able to offer fresh cask beer for home
consumption is Snuffy Jack’s in Fishponds, with their ‘Thirsty
Thursday’ deliver service. Licensee Leanne Jones tells us all
about it.
“We’ve tried to keep the beer flowing (lockdown/government guidance
permitting!) for the past 12 months. Snuffy’s was open for a short
stint in the summer alongside our click & collect, and now we’re out
delivering. The most important thing right now is to pay our rent and
that we have the same brilliant Bristol brew scene to step back into in
April or May.
“Our ‘Thirsty Thursday’ delivery service was initially going to be one
cask a week to use up existing stock, but it’s been a hit, selling out
each week, so we’ve decided to keep at it! As I write towards the end
of February, this is our fifth week and we’ll be tapping three casks,
available in a range of bottle types. It’s fantastic to be placing beer
orders again!
“I’ve teamed up with some of our local Fishponds retailers to bring you
more than just beer when we deliver. NOM Wholefoods now provide
fresh, well-sourced bar snacks packed on the day to accompany your Photo by Sally Reay
tipple. Then there is MIF Soap Co for all your handwashing needs
(vegan, handmade and low-packaging, they are a delight). And we “In an effort to decrease the amount of single-use plastic there’s the
have a few Gingerbeard’s Preserves items in stock too (we love Harry’s option to join our glass bottle swap scheme; like you would with the
spin on a classic, which usually involves adding a drop of beer, and his milkman, leave empties on the doorstep, and we sterilise and rinse
pickled eggs and onions are a bar snack favourite). ready for more beer the following week. Or for larger orders (5-6 litres)
we can pop that in a BIB (bag in box).
“How does it work?
“It’s great to see other pubs out delivering beer too! I’m always
“Check our social media, website or pub window on a Tuesday for the impressed by the resilience, creativity and adaptability many small
latest lists and order online at www.snuffyjacks.co.uk. All orders are businesses have shown since Covid-19 and happy to say that we’ll be
freshly packed on a Thursday afternoon and arrive at your doorstep out the other side, perhaps not for outdoor pints as we don’t have
sometime between 5pm and 8pm Thursday evening. We deliver within much of a beer garden, but definitely on May 17th if restrictions are
three miles of the pub; a delivery fee is applied, for orders under £20, lifted as expected. Thanks to everyone that’s supported us; drinking
of £1 or £3 depending on the distance. great beer is a hard job after all!”
4 PINTS WEST
How to find pubs and breweries
offering services during lockdown
W
ell the first thing to say is that we’ve already done most of
the work for you! Just click on anything blue below and you
should be taken into WhatPub, directly to the pub’s entry if
you click on a pub name, or to all the relevant pubs (and breweries) in
the area if you click on one of the headings.
Once you are looking at the pub’s entry in WhatPub, a grey box should,
in most instances, tell you what sort of service is being offered, some
going into more detail than others depending what we knew about at
the time.
The list below is a snapshot of the pubs as at the beginning of March
(breweries/taps excluded) that we believed to be offering some sort
of service. Unfortunately, for Lockdown 3, this does not include any
pubs in the Weston-super-Mare area, although there are two breweries
that can provide you with beer, namely Pinkers Craft Brewing and Epic
Beers (Pitchfork Ales & 3D Beer).
If you want to do it yourself, perhaps to find if any others have joined
the list in the meantime, or in order to include the breweries, then
here’s how. Griffin, Milk Street, Frome
Jolliffe Arms, Kilmersdon, Radstock
First access WhatPub at www.whatpub.com. In the search box
Just Ales, Stony Street, Frome
start typing in the area you are interested in, such as the name of a
King William IV, Tunley Road, Tunley
town or city, having ticked the box labelled “Only show venues with
Masons Arms, Marston Gate, Frome
information about COVID-19 temporary arrangements.”
Mill, Rode, Frome
To find all such pubs and breweries in one of our CAMRA branch or New Inn, Westwood Road, Westwood, Bradford-on-Avon
sub-branch areas, type in “Bristol & District (CAMRA)”, “Weston- Old Bath Arms, Palmer Street, Frome
super-Mare” or “Bath & Borders (CAMRA)”. As you start typing, Old Ham Tree, Ham Green, Holt, Trowbridge
suggestions come up which you can click on, so you may not have to Packhorse, Old School Hill, South Stoke, Bath
type the whole thing. You can of course search for pubs and breweries Palmer Street Bottle, Palmer Street, Frome
in any part of the country. All the pubs and breweries found will then Pheasant Inn, Wells Road, Wookey, Wells
be displayed, any of which can then be selected and looked at in more Prince Leopold Inn, Upton Lovell, Warminster
detail. Red Lion, High Street, Heytesbury, Warminster
Redan, Fry’s Well, Chilcompton, Radstock
Ring o’Bells, High Street, Priston, Bath
Bristol & District (CAMRA) Ring o’Bells, Widcombe Parade, Widcombe, Bath
Bag Of Nails, St Georges Road, Hotwells, Bristol Ring o’Bells, High Street, Wookey, Wells
Beer Emporium, King Street, Bristol Royal Oak, Hawkridge, Westbury
Bird in Hand, High Street, Saltford Seven Stars, Bradford Road, Winsley, Bradford-on-Avon
Chums, Chandos Road, Redland, Bristol Stag Inn, High Street, Hinton Charterhouse
Cider Box Taproom, Silverthorn Lane, Bristol Three Daggers, Westbury Road, Edington, Westbury
Drapers Arms, Gloucester Road, Horfield, Bristol Three Horseshoes, High Street, Chapmanslade, Westbury
Globe Inn, Church Road, Frampton Cotterell Venue, South Street, Wells
Gryphon, Colston Street, Bristol Waggon & Horses, Old Frome Rd, Doulting Beacon, Shepton Mallet
Hollybush, Bath Road, Bridgeyate Weaving Shed, Bridge Yard, Kingston Mills, Bradford-on-Avon
Masons Arms, Park Road, Stapleton, Bristol Well Inn, Cannards Grave, Shepton Mallet
Moorend Spout, Union Street, Nailsea Wheatsheaf, Combe Hay
Nailsea MicroPub, Ivy Court, High Street, Nailsea White Hart, Widcombe Hill, Widcombe, Bath
Old Bank, High Street, Keynsham White Hart, Lane End, Corsley
Port, The Precinct, Portishead Woolpack, High Street, Sutton Veny, Warminster
Siren’s Calling, Newfoundland Way, Marina, Portishead
Snuffy Jack’s, Fishponds Road, Fishponds, Bristol
Swan, High Street, Winterbourne
Weston-super-Mare Over 96%
of Britain’s
No pubs listed real ale pubs
featured
Bath & Borders (CAMRA)
Bear Inn, Silver Street, Bradford-on-Avon
Brewed Boy, London Street, Bath
Bunch of Grapes, Silver Street, Bradford-on-Avon Information
updated by
Butchers Arms, Timsbury Road, Farmborough, Bath thousands
of CAMRA
Claremont, Claremont Terrace, Camden, Bath volunteers
Cross Keys, High Street, Rode, Frome
Cross Keys Inn, Lye’s Green, Corsley, Warminster
Duke, Melbourne Street, Bratton, Westbury
Fairfield Arms, Fairfield Park Road, Bath
Created by
Fox & Badger, Railway Lane, Wellow, Bath CAMRA who
Fromeway, Frome Road, Radstock produce the
Globe Inn, Priest Road, Wells whatpub.com
www.whatpub.com Thousands of pubs
UK’s best beer
& pub guide
Green Park Brasserie, Green Park Station, Bath Featuring over 35,000 real ale pubs at your fingertips!
PINTS WEST 5
Support your local breweries
Please support your local breweries, many of which
will be doing home deliveries during lockdown, or
maybe takeaway from their brewery taps.
Breweries in the Bath & Borders CAMRA
branch area Kettlesmith
16, Treenwood Industrial Estate, Bradford-on-Avon, Wilts, BA15 2AU
www.kettlesmithbrewing.com
Abbey Ales
The Abbey Brewery, Camden Row, Bath, BA1 5LB
www.abbeyales.co.uk
Plain Ales
Unit 17B/C, Deverill Road Trading Estate, Sutton Veny, Wilts, BA12 7BZ
www.plainales.co.uk
Blindman’s
Talbot Farm, Leighton, Nr Frome, Somerset, BA11 4PN
www.blindmansbrewery.co.uk
Ralph’s Ruin
The Royal Oak, Lower Bristol Road, Twerton, Bath, BA2 3BW
www.ralphsruin.co.uk
Box Steam
The Midlands, Holt, Nr Bradford on Avon, Wilts, BA14 6RU
www.boxsteambrewery.com
Three Daggers
47 Westbury Road, Edington, Westbury, Wilts, BA13 4PG
www.threedaggers.co.uk
Dawkins Ales
Unit 7 Timsbury Workshop Estate, Hayeswood Road, Timsbury, Bath
BA2 0HQ (also has premises in Easton, Bristol)
Twisted
9 Commerce Close, West Wilts Trading Estate, Westbury, BA13 4LS
www.dawkins-ales.co.uk www.twisted-brewing.com
Electric Bear Wessex
Unit 12, The Maltings, Brassmill Lane, Bath, BA1 3JL Longbridge Deverill, Wilts
www.electricbearbrewing.com www.quaffale.org.uk/php/brewery/348
Frome (was Milk Street) Verse
Unit L13, Marshall Way, Commerce Park, Frome, BA11 2FB Chapter One, 1a Piccadilly Place, London Road, Bath, BA1 6PL
www.fromebrewingcompany.com www.chapteronebath.co.uk/verse
James Street Yonder
Bath Brew House, 14 James Street West, Bath, BA1 2BX The Workshop, Rookery Farm, Binegar, Somerset, BA3 4UL
www.thebathbrewhouse.com www.brewyonder.co.uk
Wookey Ale:
a new brewery in
Somerset
A
new brewery has started operation with a base somewhere
in the Wookey area of Somerset. Wookey Ale is the brainchild
of Wookey Hole local Samuel Mills, who has gone into a
partnership with fellow beer connoisseur Simon.
The brewery’s first beer is Witch Way Home, a 4.0% light-coloured beer
made with Mosaic and Cascade hops, which deliver a grapefruit and
dry hop flavour with caramel undertones. Second up is Arthur’s Point,
also 4.0%, a darker beer with a more roasted and nutty flavour and
vanilla notes.
We understand that, before the most recent lockdown, Witch Way
Home had started appearing in pubs and hotels in the Wookey and
Wells area and that there had been an outdoor tasting held with sour
dough pizzas. The beer is available for home delivery in five-, nine-
and eighteen-pint brewery-fresh boxes, which are available for free
www.electricbearbrewing.com delivery to the Wells area and can be ordered from the Wookey Ale
website (www.wookeyale.co.uk).
6 PINTS WEST
Breweries in the Bristol & District CAMRA
branch area
Arbor Ales King Street Brew House
181 Easton Road, Easton, Bristol, BS5 0HQ King Street, Welsh Back, Bristol, BS1 4RR
www.arborales.co.uk www.kingstreetbrewhouse.co.uk/brewery
Ashley Down Left Handed Giant
15 Wathen Road, St Andrew’s, Bristol, BS6 5BY Unit 3, Wadehurst Industrial Park, St Philips Road, Bristol,
Not currently brewing. BS2 0JE
www.lefthandedgiant.com
Basement Beer
Unit 10, Meriton Foundry, Meriton Road, Bristol, BS2 0SZ Little Giant
www.basementbeer.co.uk Unit 3, Stoke View Business Park, Fishponds, Bristol, BS16 3AE
www.littlegiantbrewery.co.uk
Bath Ales Lost and Grounded
Hare House, Southway Drive, Warmley, Bristol, BS30 5LW
www.bathales.com 91 Whitby Road, Brislington, Bristol, BS4 4AR
www.lostandgrounded.co.uk
Brewhouse & Kitchen Masquerade
31-35 Cotham Hill, Clifton, Bristol, BS6 6JY
www.brewhouseandkitchen.com/venue/bristol Currently based inside Fierce & Noble brewery:
25 Mina Road, St Werburghs, Bristol, BS2 9TA
Bristol Beer Factory www.masqueradebrewing.co
The Old Brewery, Durnford Street, Bristol, BS3 2AW
www.bristolbeerfactory.co.uk New Bristol Brewery
20a Wilson Street, St Pauls, Bristol, BS2 9HH
Butcombe www.newbristolbrewery.co.uk
Cox’s Green, Wrington, Bristol, BS40 5PA
www.butcombe.com Newtown Park
Unit 8/9, Wadehurst Industrial Park, St Philips Road, Bristol, BS2 0JE
Cheddar Ales www.newtownparkbrewing.co
Winchester Farm, Draycott Road, Cheddar, Somerset, BS27 3RP
www.cheddarales.co.uk Moor Beer
Days Road, St Philips, Bristol, BS2 0QS
Clevedon www.moorbeer.co.uk
Unit 1, Tweed Road Industrial Estate, Tweed Road, Clevedon, BS21 6RR
www.clevedonbrewery.co.uk Pinkers
148 Quantock Road, Weston-super-Mare, BS23 4DP
Croft Ales www.facebook.com/pinkerscraftbrewery
32 Upper York Street, Bristol, BS2 8QN
www.croftales.com Portishead
The Port Bar, The Precinct, High Street, Portishead, BS20 6AH
Dawkins Ales www.portisheadbrewing.com
Unit 2, Lawnwood Industrial Units, Lawnwood Road, Easton, Bristol,
BS5 0EF (also has premises in Timsbury, Bath) Tapestry
www.dawkins-ales.co.uk Unit B, Totterdown Bridge Industrial Estate, Totterdown, Bristol, BS2
0XH
Epic Beers (Pitchfork Ales & 3D Beer) www.tapestrybrewery.com
The Brewery, West Hewish, Weston-super-Mare, BS24 6RR
www.pitchforkales.com www.3d-beer.com Three Engineers
The Cow Byers, Winterbourne Medieval Barn, Church Lane,
Fierce & Noble Winterbourne, BS36 1SE
www.threeengineersbrewery.co.uk
25 Mina Road, St Werburghs, Bristol, BS2 9TA
www.fierceandnoble.com
Twisted Oak
Good Chemistry The Brewery, Yeowood Farm, Iwood Lane, Wrington, BS40 5NU
www.twistedoakbrewery.co.uk
Unit 2, William Street, St Philips, Bristol, BS2 0RG
www.goodchemistrybrewing.co.uk
Wiper & True
Great Western Brewing (GWB) 2-8 York Street, St Werburghs, Bristol, BS2 9XT
www.wiperandtrue.com
The Stream Bakery, Bristol Road, Hambrook, Bristol, BS16 1RF
www.gwbrewery.co.uk Wookey Ale
www.wookeyale.co.uk
Incredible Brewing Company
214-224 Broomhill Road, Brislington, Bristol, BS4 5RG
www.incrediblebrewingcompany.com
Zerodegrees
53 Colston Street, Bristol, BS1 5BA
www.zerodegrees.co.uk
PINTS WEST 7
Bar team member Lily Adams on the Bag of Nails’ electric delivery bike (photo by Luke Daniels)
Bag of Nails delivering beer by bike
T
he Bag of Nails in Hotwells – known to many as the Cat Pub – is “Same day delivery is possible if the order is put in early enough and
offering a changing range of fresh cask and keg beer to people it fits in with our delivery schedule, although at busier times next day
living within three miles of the pub, delivered on a daily basis by delivery is more likely.
electric bike – as often as not by bar team member Andy McWilliams.
“The cask beer is £3 a pint, the keg beer £4 a pint. The beers come in
The range of beers available, usually around five to choose from, can two-pint bottles, and at the moment the delivery charge is a flat rate
be viewed at www.catpub.co.uk, and people can then simply phone of £2.
the pub (between 12 noon and 7pm) to place an order – or just ring to
find out what’s available. “Also we have just signed up to the BARBI delivery app
(www.barbiebristol.com/barbi-app) where the prices are the same,
Licensee Luke Daniels explains: and delivery is £2.99, but your order ought to be with you within an
hour.
“We are offering cask and keg/craft beer delivery to people within
a three-mile radius of the pub. If ordered through us directly using “For payment, cash is preferred but we do have a mobile card reader
the phone numbers 07927 041014 or 07941 521777 the beer will be which although takes time to warm up does seem to work in most
delivered using a cargo E bicycle. We shall be answering the phones parts of the city so far.”
between midday and seven in the evening.
8 PINTS WEST
The Gryphon: I’m still here!
T
he Gryphon on Colston Street in the city centre, Bristol’s premier
real ale and heavy metal pub (a great place for dark beers in
particular), is “still here”, as licensee John Ashby puts it, and still
delivering – not draught products at the time of writing, but that could
change as he is reminding his community of “the wonders of cask and
keg ales.” We asked John to tell us more.
“Since my successful, but brief reopening in October, this lockdown
has been harder on me as a business.
“Despite offering a fresh choice of kegs and cask ales, the uptake for
takeaway alcohol has been very slow compared to a productive April to
October.
“Since December I’ve stopped offering draught products because
of this. I was offering cask ales under a pre-order system to ensure
that the ales were only tapped once a certain yield of demand had
been reached. This guaranteed fresh beer was sold, and significantly
reduced wastage. In recent months, even trying to fulfil a minimum
of 12 orders (1 x 4 pint jerrycan = 1 order) proved difficult, and the
demand just hasn’t been there. I don’t know whether that’s because “Unfortunately those funds are near depleted, so in the next few
people are drinking less, buying from the supermarkets, or what! weeks I will push to increase our takeaway offerings again, and hope
to remind my community of the wonders of cask and keg ales. I also
“I have concentrated my efforts on offering a wide selection have some new merchandise launching soon which also helps towards
of packaged goods of cans and bottles, but again demand has running costs.
significantly reduced. I have a handful of loyal regulars who have been
ordering every week which has been great. “In the meantime, between video games and working through my own
reserves of alcohol delights, I continue to make improvements and
“I have been incredibly fortunate that my landlords have remained carry out maintenance on the premises. With a provisional opening
supportive throughout the past 11 months. Without my reductions in date of 17th May, I have something to work towards. As I don’t have
rent, this business wouldn’t have been able to survive on the meagre a beer garden, we are unable to provide a Gryphon experience until
turnover experienced over the past few months. then. At least the nonsense over substantial meals and 10pm curfews
“My Crowdfunder from the summer managed to raise an incredible seems to have been discarded.
£15,000 and I received those funds at the end of September. That “Provided that everyone remains competent with the easing of
money, and the productive trade when we reopened in October, kept restrictions, and that support is given to hospitality to reach those
us going into the new year. target dates, then I cannot wait to welcome people back in May.
“It’s been a bizarre year, but I’m really looking forward to being a pub
again.
“In terms of support, my Crowdfunder remains open to donations
(www.crowdfunder.co.uk/gryphonbristol). Merchandise is
available and new items will be added soon, and I hope to give the
takeaway offerings a boost in the next few weeks, through social
media channels, so Facebook/Twitter/Instagram (@gryphonbristol).”
The Gryphon has always been a particularly good place to find the
darker, stronger ales, this being the type of beer John particularly
likes, and this is reflected in the extensive range of beers available for
delivery. Other styles and strengths are available too, of course.
Beer can be bought for delivery preferably via the Butlr app
(www.getbutlr.com), or else direct message the pub Facebook page
for a list of offerings, or email mr.jashby@gmail.com.
PINTS WEST 9
50 Years of CAMRA
Celebrating 50 years of campaigning
for real ale
W
hen four young friends went on a drinking holiday to Ireland fascinating, humorous, and very personal story of the first 50 years of
in March 1971, they had no idea that their idle notion of the Campaign for Real Ale.
starting a campaign to push for a better beer choice would
capture the public mood and grow into what is now Europe’s biggest Laura Hadland is a food and drink writer, photographer and blogger.
single-issue consumer movement. She has written for a wide range of publications, including CAMRA’s
own BEER, Reader’s Digest and Pellicle magazine, and is regularly asked
In CAMRA’s landmark 50th year, this book celebrates how a growing to judge industry competitions.
army of beer lovers turned an industry on its head, saved Britain’s
unique beer style and became the voice of the beer, cider and perry Writing about beer has been an important part of her blog, ‘Extreme
consumer. Housewifery’, since its inception in 2008. Laura enjoys working with
breweries and pubs to put on tastings and other events, and she has
This is a full and honest biography of the Campaign for Real Ale been a regular volunteer at her local vineyard for more than five years.
featuring interviews with CAMRA’s founders, its members past and
present, and noted industry figures. It reflects on both how the She is still upset that her 2010 Guinness World Record for the largest
organisation came to be and – with some commentators thinking that toast mosaic has been broken.
the original job is done – the challenges it faces in its future. This is a
Click here to order yours:
https://shop1.camra.org.uk/product/50-years-of-camra-celebrating-50-years-of-the-campaign-for-real-ale/
“CAMRA has created life-changing experiences for its members and advocated for
beer drinkers for half a century. Its achievements are all the more remarkable when you
consider that it is truly a grassroots organisation.”
Available to order now from the CAMRA bookshop
50 Years of CAMRA
A celebration of the Campaign for Real Ale
by Laura Hadland
CAMRA member discount price £14.00*
https://shop1.camra.org.uk
Or call our membership team on : 01727 337 855
*RRP £16.99. CAMRA member discount available when logged in to the shop using membership details
10 PINTS WESTCAMRA: Campaigning for Pubs,
Pints and People since 1971
C Supporting breweries
AMRA is one of the most successful consumer organisations
across Europe. Founded by four real ale enthusiasts back in 1971, Other CAMRA activity had significant
today we represent beer drinkers and pub-goers across the UK. impacts on brewers as well. In 1986,
Our vision is to have quality real ale, cider and perry and thriving pubs Bateman’s Brewery was under threat of sale, and was saved as a
in every community. brewery thanks to daily letters written by members. When their iconic
XXXB bitter won the Champion Beer of Britain competition, investors
A history of CAMRA came back on board to help save the brewery from closure.
Some of the highlights from our 50 years of campaigning. The Government gets involved...
It wasn’t long before CAMRA drew the Government’s attention to the
An idea business of beer – highlighting the annual price increases from the Big
CAMRA was formed in March 1971 by Michael Hardman, Jim Makin, Six and putting the monopoly situation firmly on their agenda. In the
Bill Mellor and Graham Lees on a trip to Ireland. At the time, the ‘Big late 70s the Government recommended ‘pub swapping’ to encourage
Six’ brewers (Allied, Bass, Courage, Scottish & Newcastle, Watneys and regional brewers to showcase other types of beers in their pubs.
Whitbread) had monopolies on entire regions of the country, owning
hundreds of pubs that could only sell their brews. They were pushing 1989 Beer Orders
tasteless kegged beer onto consumers because it was easier to In 1989 the Beer Orders was introduced. These wide-reaching reforms
produce, store and serve, and as a result quality real ale was incredibly broke up the brewing cartel by restricting the number of pubs a brewer
hard to find. In fact, there were just five bottle-conditioned beers in could own to just 200 pubs, resulting in the Big Six selling or freeing
existence in the world. from tie over 11,000 pubs. The legislation also forced brewers to stock
at least one competitor beer in their pubs, and thanks to CAMRA, that
Spreading the word guest beer had to be a cask-conditioned beer. This enabled lessees to
The early years were marked by the recruitment of members stock real ale from whomever they wished, resulting in an explosion of
and setting up what would soon be Europe’s largest consumer new breweries.
organisation. In 1972 What’s Brewing newspaper was founded,
followed shortly by the first edition of the Good Beer Guide in 1974 CAMRA expands
– originally a short pamphlet compared to the ‘bible’ produced 48 The huge success in CAMRA’s campaigns to break up the brewing
years later. These were some of the first beer/pub centric publications cartel led to it being taken on in different areas. In 1988 CAMRA
produced in the UK. took on the mantle of campaigning for real cider and perry under it’s
‘APPLE’ Committee. This also marked the beginning of the National
Birth of the modern beer festival Cider and Perry Championship competition to find the very best cider
That same year the first ever beer festival in modern times took place and perry in the UK, placing real cider and perry firmly on the side of
in St Albans, boasting 26 different casks from 14 brewers. In 1975 real ale for the Campaign.
the Great British Beer Festival was held at Covent Garden and was a
roaring success. Volunteers worked flat out throughout the weekend to Good news spread
source more beer for the festival which kept running out. Further afield, the European Beer Consumer Union (EBCU) was
created by CAMRA with similar national beer consumer groups from
Making an impact The Netherlands and Belgium to represent beer consumers across
It wasn’t very long until CAMRA started to get noticed. The ‘Big Six’ continental Europe. The move came at a time when the European
started to respond to the calls for cask ale, and in 1976 Allied Brewing Commission was attempting to ban the guest beer provision in the
introduced Burton Ale, its first real ale ever produced. Watneys soon 1989 Beer Order. CAMRA not only managed to thwart the activity,
followed with a cask-conditioned beer, and Truman’s came out with but successfully lobbied for a bottle-conditioned beer to be added to
Truman’s Tap – their first-cask conditioned brew in many years. national brewers’ lessees as well.
Fighting for ABVs CAMRA today
That same year, CAMRA took on the fight for beer strengths to be By now, CAMRA is well established as a powerful campaigning force
properly labelled at the point of dispense. It’s hard to imagine, but within the beer and pub sector. Over the following three decades,
at the time ABVs (alcohol by volume) were fiercely guarded secrets. it influenced a number of pieces of legislation aimed at supporting
CAMRA members collected beer samples from pubs around the and improving the beer drinkers and pub-goers experience. Over 200
country to test the original gravity of the beer, then publishing the branches have sprung up across the country, each of which run local
findings in What’s Brewing and the Good Beer Guide. This move forced beer festivals and awards to celebrate the industry. CAMRA Books
brewers’ hands to start sharing information on ABVs for the very first publishes hundreds of titles about beer and pub campaigning, and our
time. national awards and Great British Beer Festival draw the attention of
the national media.
CAMRA’s founders.
From left to right:
Michael Hardman,
Jim Makin,
Bill Mellor,
Graham Lees
PINTS WEST 11Celebrate 50 years of CAMRA with
author Laura Hadland
T
he author of a new CAMRA biography will be hosting a virtual “Researching 50 Years of CAMRA
event, on 16 March 2021, celebrating the organisation’s 50th has revealed a fascinating
anniversary and history of campaigning successes. tapestry of stories – and it’s
amazing it all started with four
Beer writer Laura Hadland, who has penned the forthcoming book passionate and slightly tipsy
50 Years of CAMRA, will be joined live by contributors, beer writers young men from the North-West
and one of CAMRA’s founders to discuss her research and answer back in 1971. I cannot wait to
questions in a panel event over Zoom. The event will be hosted on the share what I have discovered and
anniversary of CAMRA’s founding – Tuesday 16 March – at 7pm. I look forward to seeing you all
The event is open to anyone, and registration is now available here: there.”
https://camra-org-uk.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMvdeGppz8qGt1 The commemorative title 50 Years of CAMRA, by Laura Hadland,
j5WkVI_6xUrC6G5LGgiUZ contains first-hand accounts from members and industry professionals,
Attendees can submit their questions for the event in the week detailing the highs and lows of the Campaign. It is now available for
proceeding it by visiting CAMRA’s official Twitter account from ordering, with copies officially available on CAMRA’s birthday.
Thursday 4 March. Some of the submitted questions will be answered CAMRA will be celebrating their 50th anniversary throughout 2021,
on the social feed in the run up to the event, with plenty of CAMRA with a host of activity including 50 Years of CAMRA, awards for
facts and stories to be shared. campaigners, pubs and breweries, virtual festivals, commemorative
Author Laura Hadland said: “I am delighted to be taking part in this merchandise and a list of top 50 campaigning successes. Laura has
event on the day of CAMRA’s 50th anniversary. I will be in conversation also contributed an article about the anniversary to CAMRA’s Learn
with a real hit parade of exciting special guests to discuss half a century & Discover platform (https://camra.org.uk/learn-discover/the-
of memories and friendships. Everyone is looking forward to seeing basics/50-years-of-camra/), telling the story of how people power has
what questions the CAMRA members and volunteers would like helped to preserve traditional British beer, cider and perry.
answered, so we can discuss the sort of topics that interest them.
CAMRA releases a new season of the
popular podcast ‘Pubs. Pints. People.’
C
AMRA has released a third season of its popular podcast Pubs. • 8 June – Beer design and labels, featuring Pete Brown (author
Pints. People. – which is available to download on Apple Podcast of Beer by Design from CAMRA Books) and The Epicurian Beer
and Spotify. Having returned to the airwaves on 2 March, People
season three features fresh interviews with beer, cider and brewing • 15 June – Home-producing for Dummies! – a look into how to
experts, and archive dives into the campaign’s history. Hosts Clare start home-producing, featuring James Finch and Jem Jones from
Phillips, Matt Bundy and Ant Fiorillo will be sitting down with leading the Henley Mile Brewery
figures in the industry such as Pete Brown, James Finch, Kate Mathers
and more. CAMRA national chairman Nik Antona says: “We have been delighted
with the response to our podcast since its launch last year and can’t
The podcast forms part of CAMRA’s flourishing Learn & Discover wait to share all new episodes and guests with our audience.
offering, helping beer-lovers and pub-goers learn more about their
favourite drinks and stay connected to the industry they love. It is “Pubs. Pints. People. has helped us stay connected with our members
free to access for members and non-members alike and has proved and beer-lovers, particularly during this difficult past year of limited
incredibly popular since its launch in April 2020. interaction. We couldn’t put it together without the time and expertise
of our wonderful team of volunteers and their support interviewing,
The podcast released 27 episodes in its first two seasons, on topics editing and hosting!
ranging from eco-brewing to 50 years of CAMRA campaigning history
and pubs and mental health. “There is a huge range of subjects and interesting material to discuss
within the beer, pubs and brewing industry, and we are excited to
This season includes: share nine new
• 2 March – Innovation in the face of Covid, featuring Fyne Ale’s Iain episodes over the
Smith and and Rob Scahill of the Orange Tree in Baldock (now next few months,
live) with many wonderful
• 16 March – a spotlight on London as a beer city, featuring Small guests. Particularly
Beer and Truman’s Brewery as we are in CAMRA’s
50th anniversary year,
• 30 March – the renaissance of cider, featuring Kate Mathers and it is an exciting time
Dave Matthews, author of the Good Cider Guide to be discussing new,
• 13 April – Community-owned pubs, featuring CAMRA’s Paul innovative facets
Ainsworth and Matt Garrard of the Tollerton Flying Club of the industry, the
• 27 April – Real Ale abroad, featuring insights from brewers and popularity of real ale
real ale lovers in Argentina and Denmark in different countries,
• 11 May – a dive into Small Brewers’ Relief and an exploration and looking back
of a recent viral petition, featuring Jack Hobday of Anspach & over our campaign
Hobday brewery and Neil Walker from the Society of Independent successes and
Brewers (SIBA) highlights.”
• 25 May – Cider – the apple, the orchard, the land, featuring an To find out more, visit
interview with Tom Oliver and chat between James Finch and https://camra.org.uk/podcast
Adam Wells.
12 PINTS WESTShine on ... a fantasy pub crawl
P
icture the scene: it has been a trying twelve months; there sunlight. Then a hop and a skip takes you under the Clifton Suspension
has been a Global Pandemic that has caused awful suffering, Bridge to the Cottage Inn (Spike Island), where it's suddenly
bereavement and the effective pausing of society. Not only that, lunchtime, so the sun is perfectly positioned as you watch kayakers,
but you haven’t even been able to go to the pub to relax and forget sailors in dinghies, and some people trying those weird surfboards
about the horrible year you’ve had, because the pubs have all had to you stand on. Good selection of Butcombe’s beers here, which you
close. can sample voraciously before stepping lightly on board the Grain
Barge (Hotwells Road). The sun dutifully moves back round to its usual
Actually, thinking about it, you don’t really need to picture that scene, evening position, and you sit on the top deck drinking Bristol Beer
do you? Factory beers and watching cormorants dive for fish. Before you know
it, you’ve swapped one boat for another and find yourself aboard the
OK, picture this scene. God, or Mother Nature, or the Fairy Apple (Welsh Back), ordering from a bewildering array of traditional
Godmother, or Fate, or Ant & Dec (whichever supreme being you ciders and peering through the portholes at the swans outside. A few
believe in) takes pity on you. To try and cheer you up after all you’ve steps further and you find yourself standing between the Old Lock
been through, you are granted the ability to create your own fantasy & Weir and Chequers (Hanham Mills). These two delightful riverside
pub crawl. pubs provide the perfect backdrop for a glass of Otter Bitter or Young’s
Special respectively, with canal boats and mallards for company.
So, you can create your own world where all the pubs you want to visit
are brought to you, in your own fantasy Bristol (& District). You don’t Before the sounds and sights of the waterside have a chance to fade,
have to worry about transport, or the negative effects of too much just take a few steps down the towpath, and you’ll find yourself on:
beer, or the calorific content of pork scratchings. Every pub will be
just the way you like it. And there’ll never be a noisy hen or stag party Brewery Tap Boulevard
hogging the bar (unless of course you want there to be … no one is
judging you here). You’ve had a terrific time through this delightful defiance of the laws
of physics, chemistry and temporal sequence and, this being a fantasy
But how would you arrange such a panoply of pub perfection? trip, even found a pub quiz where your knowledge of early eighties
Fortunately, a figure who used to be shambling and slightly jaded Sheena Easton album tracks helped your team, the Quiztal Malts, to
appears. These days he is slimmer, fitter and utterly fed up. He clears a resounding win in the monthly accumulator. But above all you’ve
his throat… enjoyed some wonderful beers, so you resolve to visit the tap rooms of
the area, to get the beers straight from the breweries.
(Pubs featured below are just the ones that occurred to me; please add
any I forgot according to your taste to create your own fantasy pub First, there’s the New Bristol Brewery Tap Room (Wilson Street),
crawl.) usually open on Friday evenings and for major sporting events, but
welcoming on your visit, with nine taps serving their own beers plus
Well, if you're going to have a fantasy pub crawl, the first thing you a guest and some cider too, and for today only, slap bang next door
need is: to LHG Brewpub (Hawkins Lane, where the old Courage brewery was),
a three-storey pub offering the brewery’s own ales (this place could
Micropub Lane actually also be in Waterfront Walkway too if you prefer). Blink twice
Your favourite micropubs, all together in a row. A lovely conversation and you’re in the Good Chemistry Brewery Tap Room (St Phillips)
and the choice of eight or so real ales and a couple of ciders at Snuffy offering their own brews from their 10-barrel plant.
Jack’s (non-fantasy address, 800 Fishponds Road). Yet somehow it’s A little further afield (but right next door of course) is the Bristol Beer
next door to the Drapers Arms (447 Gloucester Road) with its range of Factory Tap Room (North Street, Bedminster) which, delightfully, is a
barrels serving mostly local beers. Imagine a road where you come sizeable tap room offering four of their ales including Independence,
out of these two, and straight into Chums (22 Chandos Road, Redland) which is a glass of fruity, malty heaven. Up in Easton, so three yards
with your mobile phone securely tucked away in your pocket, and a from the last venue, is the Dawkins Brewery Tap (Lawnwood Road)
further six each of real ales and ciders to work your way through. Word which in non-fantasy times tends to open on Fridays and Saturdays
reaches you that the Wooden Walls (30 Broad Street, Staple Hill) has and offers their full range depending on what’s recently been brewed
just started selling a perfect pint of that new local beer you’ve been of course. Click those heels together and you arrive upstairs at the
meaning to try, so you pop next door to give it a go, before moving Tapestry Brewery Tap Room (Totterdown) supping their excellent
on to the Lyons Den (121 Regent Street, Kingswood) where a seat in Swingball Session IPA. Pop outside and through an archway marked
the snug has perpetually just been vacated, and your favourite local ‘Somerset’ and you find yourself at the Clevedon Brewery Tap Room
brewery is doing a tap takeover. Along the same lane you also find (Tweed Road, Clevedon) offering perhaps four of their ales, with their
the Fallen Tree (Clevedon), the Nailsea MicroPub and the Pear Tree in beautifully evocative pump clips, and today including BS21, a pale ale
Charfield, which isn’t even covered by Bristol & District CAMRA, but with a floral, fruity aftertaste that deserves to be better known than
hey it’s my fantasy! it is. A handy portkey from a Harry Potter film takes you directly to
You swap and change between these pubs for as long as you like, the Cheddar Ales Tap Room (Winchester Farm) with a lovely outdoor
trying all the different beers and ciders, yet strangely your faculties seating area and some cracking beers on tap.
remain sharp throughout, and the conversation always returns to Your Own Ale Avenue?
brewing techniques/football/the 1844 Silesian Weavers’ Uprising,
depending on your preference. We are sorry we have been unable to do the usual research of pubs for
this edition, and that we have only been able to feature a tiny fraction
As lovely as the micropubs are, with their wide range of beers, simple of the wonderful pubs in our area here. But there appears to be light at
decoration and garrulous social interaction, you realise you fancy a the end of this tunnel. We hope that around the time of the next Pints
beer by the water, so you walk the fifteen yards to: West, we may be beginning to return to the pubs and bars again.
The Waterfront Walkway We hope all the venues mentioned here are able to reopen when
With a simplicity that would baffle experts in hydrology and regulations permit. One thing that is for certain is that all the pubs
hydrodynamics in equal measure, this walkway allows you to swap will desperately need your support. Pubs are essential to the culture
between the harbour, urban waterways, rural rivers and historic lock and sense of community in and around Bristol, so please – if you can –
gates in just a few short steps. It is perpetually a summer’s evening, grant the publicans’ own fantasy, and go and visit them.
and the weather is warm without being muggy or oppressive. We will try and keep WhatPub up to date as pubs reopen, and hope to
First, you sit outside the Lamplighters (Shirehampton) on the bank see the pubs thriving and buzzing again very soon.
of the Avon. A pleasant pint of St Austell Proper Job sparkles in the Duncan Shine
PINTS WEST 13Chums delivers fresh cask ale
M
ark Farrell, owner of the Chums micropub on Chandos Road in in four-pint growlers for £12, plus £2.50 for the container. If you return
Redland, has been a ‘lockdown hero’ throughout. a growler the £2.50 will be waived.
During the first lockdown he was very busy and opened “Butty Bach and HPA are also available in five-litre mini-casks for £21.
Chums every day for take-outs of ales, ciders, lagers and wines. He We also have a selection of draught ciders, and bottled beers and
subsequently opened the pub for socially-distanced drinking inside ciders. There may be other ales on, and if you ring at the above times
when he was able to, and was then once again open for take-outs we can tell you what is currently on offer!
during the second lockdown. With this third lockdown things are
of course different, with pubs not allowed to open for take-outs of “You can contact us by phone on 0117 9731498 (landline) or 0757
alcohol, even though other types of establishment can. However, like 9770635 (mobile) or by emailing chumsbristol@gmail.com.”
s M i c ro Pub
a handful of other pubs, Mark has been able to switch to making home
hum
deliveries a couple of times a week, keeping local (within a two- or
C
three-mile radius) people supplied with fresh cask beers.
Mark tells us what he’s been up to:
“I have been in the pub trade for many years, and to say this has been a
year like no other would be an understatement! Fortunately, at Chums FREE HOUSE Est. 2016
we are blessed with a great customer base and a loyal, hard-working
staff. While we are closed, we are using the opportunity to give the pub
22 Chandos Road, Redland
a face-lift, with a remodelled frontage and a fresh interior paint job. Bristol BS6 6PF
“Meanwhile we are offering a home-delivery service every Wednesday T. 0117 973 1498
and Friday evening. You can contact us between 4pm and 6pm on
these days, and we aim to deliver between 7pm and 9pm (depending
www.chumsmicropub.co.uk
Mobile: 0757 9770635
on how many orders we have, and where you live). email: chumsbristol@gmail.com
“Usually we will have three cask beers from Wye Valley brewery –
Web: www.chumsmicropub.co.uk
typically Butty Bach (4.5% ABV), HPA (4%) and Stout (4.6%) – for sale While we
Email: are closed as a Pub during lockdown,
chumsbristol@gmail.com
we are open for take-away ale, keg beer & lager, cider
and wine...
seven
Thanks to all ourdays a week 5-8pm.
customers for your support
and we2hope& 4 pint containers
to see are soon.
you again
Mark available.
Farrell, owner.
Winner
Bristol & District
Pub of the Year
2018
14 PINTS WESTCider: not gone and not
forgotten
N
ot surprisingly, the world of the cider-maker has suffered as
much as that of the beer-brewer over the last year. Winter
is traditionally a quiet time on the cider sales front and, as a
cider-maker myself (Brislington Brain Twister), the only activity that
I’ve been involved in is moving 1,000 litres from one tank to another in
order to take it off the lees (yeast sediment). The objective is to reduce
the amount of nutrient in the cider and cause fermentation to stop
early. I aim to stop my cider at about 5.8-6.2% ABV.
The take-out trade seemed to be quite good in the early days of the
pandemic – I sold as much cider in the first three months as I usually
do, but to only half the number of clients, all pubs who chose to allow ‘Racking’ the cider on a very cold day
click-and-collect. We can only hope that this form of supply will be
allowed again. Orchard Explorers Club: www.orchardexplorers.club
I am personally not aware of pubs delivering cider – with the notable Cider In Cider: www.ciderincider.co.uk
exception of Chums in Redland – but there are three local retailers who Crafty Nectar: www.craftynectar.com
are delivering in bottled form:
Fetch The Drinks: www.fetchthedrinks.com
The Cider Box: www.theciderboxstore.com CiderLicious: www.ciderlicious.co.uk
The Bristol Cider Shop: www.bristolcidershop.co.uk
When the pubs do reopen in some form, cider and perry producers
Bottles & Books: www.bottles-and-books.myshopify.com may have a slight advantage over brewers of beer because cider is
Further afield, there are other excellent suppliers of cider and perry: a product that can remain ready-to-go for months or even years;
brewers of beer will need time to get their operations running again.
Scrattings: www.scrattingscraftcidershop.co.uk/shop Martin Campling
Home delivery from the Drapers
L
ike the rest of the pub trade, the Drapers Arms on the Gloucester
Road – the local CAMRA pub of the year winner 2017 – is closed
for the duration, but they’re currently operating a home delivery
service.
There’s been a change of personnel. Vince Crocker left the business in
November to concentrate on getting the Ashley Down Brewery back
up and running. As previously reported in Pints West, the brewery
closed after a major fire in 2018 but we’re delighted to learn it will
relaunch later this year and we hope to cover the relaunch, in detail, in
a future edition. We wish him well and look forward to trying some of
his excellent beer in the near future.
Garvan Hickey is continuing to run the Drapers Arms with Zee
Gillespie, who’s been working there for a couple of years and will take
over as the manager when the micropub reopens properly. Garvan tells
us they’re planning to restart the takeaway business at the Drapers in
April – but will wait for the indoor service option, provisionally mid-
REAL ALE & WINE May, for drinkers back on the premises.
When open, the Drapers Arms serves Like most of us, they’re hoping the takeaway option will revert to a
4 to 7 cask ales by gravity, every day more ‘normal’ off-sales business – you just turn up, choose your beer,
pay for it and take it away. As we know, under the previous restrictions
Over 800 different beers poured since opening in 2015 during Lockdown 2 and the December ‘Tiers’ (sounds like an awful
Harry Potter film) customers had to pre-order their drinks before
collection – and every format provided by the legislation was used. This
HOME DELIVERY AVAILABLE NOW meant Garvan and Zee were taking orders by phone, text, email, social
Five-litre Bag-in-Box £30 media and – most memorably – even by post! We’ve been assured all
orders were successfully fulfilled.
Full details at www.thedrapersarms.co.uk In the meantime, they’re currently operating a home delivery service.
If you live locally, you can order a five-litre bag-in-box of one of their
regularly changing cask beers. These are £30 each, and full details on
how to get yours are on their Drapers Arms’ website at
www.thedrapersarms.co.uk.
They’re excited about getting back to the new ‘normal’ – and
welcoming customers back through the doors, new and old. There
might be a few tweaks, a new (old) picture or two and a dab of paint
but no major changes so, thankfully, it appears the Drapers Arms will
be with us for some time to come.
PINTS WEST 15Arbor Ales: focussing on cans
but continuing to offer cask
J amie Cansdale of Arbor Ales has given us this update:
“Heading further into 2021 we’re brewing more, focussing
on canned beers but continuing to offer cask options for any
pubs delivering draught to customers at home.
“Our online store has been hugely successful and thousands
of people have now had beer delivered to their door, with our
mixed cases of 12 being especially popular.
“Big IPAs have been going down really well too, with New
Zipper, Shambala and the latest batch of our Cryohazard
DIPA flying out.
“Before Christmas we also created collaborations with Bristol
Beer Factory, Left Handed Giant, New Bristol and Good
Chemistry before circumstances stopped that programme in
its tracks, so we’ll be looking to resume with some more of
our favourite breweries as soon as we can!
“Looking further ahead we’re dreaming of a proper pint in
a proper pub and welcoming everyone back to the taproom
one day…”
New staff
Sarah Thomas joined Arbor in June 2020
taking over the sales administrator
GREAT TASTING BEERS
role so that Jamie Cansdale could
concentrate solely on his new role
of business development manager.
Working in a close-knit busy office, Now available to order online for home
delivery at www.arborales.co.uk
Sarah ensures the smooth daily
runnings of the office. She has extensive
knowledge in sales and her previous
experience has been in the construction
and software industry.
Also Paolo Miglioranza has been
a welcome addition to the Arbor
packaging team, joining Arbor back
in the summer of 2020. Paolo had
previously worked on a similar canning
line to Arbor’s at Reunion Brewery in
London; he also holds an Italian craft
beer diploma. He attended a placement
in Bristol and because of that he
discovered Arbor Ales!
You can order your Arbor beers from the
brewery’s online shop at:
https://arborales.co.uk/shop/
16 PINTS WESTBristol brewery Newtown Park
launches during pandemic
W
ife and husband team, Lara Light-McKelvaney and Michael
McKelvaney, chose to face the challenges of 2020 head on
and launch the business they have always dreamt of, joined
by Italian head brewer Virginia Casadio.
Taking a leap of faith, they decided to buy the old Left Handed Giant
brewery during the COVID-19 global pandemic, completing the
purchase on Friday 20th November 2020 – during the second UK
lockdown – and are forging ahead with six beers launched already,
with their first brews selling out fast.
The Team
Lara said: “It has been in equal parts exciting to terrifying but we
Lara has spent the last 10 years working at Bart Ingredients as the are doing it and loving it. We have been very brave to do this in such
brand manager, which has seen her work with big retailers, launching uncertain times, but the initial feedback has been incredible and we
products, and working with the development team creating new are positive we can ride the wave out of all of this. We might be a small
products, brands, flavours and blends. team but we are big on passion and we hope that comes through in our
beers.”
Michael, aka Macca, brings his expertise in working with start-up
companies, breweries (Verdant, LHG), creative industries (Fotomatic, The Brewery
Lobster Pictures), and has run his own companies for nearly a decade.
He’s been a keen home-brewer for many years, starting out in his As mentioned above, Newtown Park’s St Philips brewery was formerly
dad’s garage with fellow home-brewer, Matt Hazely, both who also owned Left Handed Giant, who have expanded into nearby premises.
cofounded Homebrew Collab. Brewing capacity is 15 brewer’s barrels (about 2,500 litres) and the
brewing equipment includes three fermentation vessels and their own
Head brewer Virginia Casadio started by obtaining a brewing degree canning line.
in Padova and then embarking on a journey around Europe interning
at different breweries including Strange Brew in Sweden, Oersoep in Newtown Park will be housing a tap room with both indoor and
the Netherlands and Brew By Numbers here in the UK. Before joining outdoor seating that backs onto the popular Bristol-Bath cycle path –
Newtown Park, Virginia was brewing at Moor Beer in Bristol. hitting all the right notes in terms of location and atmosphere. Future
plans include the possibility of cask-conditioned beers when the time
Virginia said: “I’m excited to be fully immersed in my role as head is right.
brewer at Newtown Park. Not just for the opportunity to let my
brewing passion shine, but to be able to work with like-minded To stay up to date on beer launch dates and to receive 10% off your
individuals. From home brewing to qualification, my gender has always first order, sign up for Newtown Park’s mailing list on their website at:
been an outlier, but I have never let that stop me from achieving my www.newtownparkbrewing.co/beermail
dreams. I aim to create stunning beers judged on their qualities and
regarded highly not because they were made by a woman, but by a
dedicated and considerate brewer”.
The Launch
Newtown Park launched with three signature beers, pale ale Maybe
Tomorrow (5.2%), IPA No Going Back (6.2%) and stout Internal
Monologue (5.4%), the first two now sold out. Their expanding range
includes table beer All Day Long (3%), pale ale Come Alive (4.2%) and
West Coast IPA You Don’t Have To Outrun The Bear (7.2%), all of which
are available for purchase direct from their website at
www.newtownparkbrewing.co as well as many independent
retail outlets in Bristol and across the country.
The Newtown Park team: Michael, Lara and Virginia
PINTS WEST 17You can also read
